April 30th, 2007 by Manila Ryce
As is their custom, Family Guy attacked the Bush administration pretty successfully last night. They took a shot at Cheney for… well, taking shots. And took shots at Bush for… well, also taking shots, but with a different connotation.
The Griffin’s move to Texas where Chris and Meg must sneak onto Bush’s ranch and steal a pair of his underwear in order to be initiated into the Texas Youth Club. This is perhaps a reference to the bizarre initiation rituals of Skull and Bones, to which G. W. Bush was/is a member. Cheney is shown guarding the place with his infamous boomstick, which strikes terror into the faces of old men everywhere. Quail, not so much.
Sofia Salva, a Sudanese native, was pulled over by officers Melody Spencer and Kevin Schnell who had seen her putting a fake temporary tag on her car’s rear windshield. When asked why she was driving with a fake tag on her car, Salva explained that she was on her way to the hospital.
Pope Benedict XVI celebrated Midnight Mass on Christmas day in St. Peter’s Basilica. He delivered an appeal for abused children around the world, referring specifically to the escalation of war in the Middle East. He directed prayers towards children forced to fight “as soldiers in a violent world, toward children who have to beg, toward children who suffer deprivation and hunger, toward children who are unloved.” He continued, “Let us pray this night that the brightness of God’s love may enfold all these children. Let us ask God to help us do our part so that the dignity of children may be respected.”
Sandra Cano, named “Mary Doe” in the Doe v. Bolton case, appealed to the Supreme Court Tuesday to reverse the 1973 ruling which gave her the right to an abortion. The 1973 decision was a companion argument to the more famous Roe v. Wade ruling. Roe v. Wade grounded first-trimester access to abortion, while Doe v. Bolton loosened medical requirements for abortions. Sandra Cano, or “Mary Doe”, states that she was in an abusive relationship at the time of the ruling, and claims that she never really wanted an abortion. However, she was pressured by her attorney to fight the abortion option in court.
A couple in Maine, upset that their 19 year-old daughter was pregnant, tied her up and planned to drive her to New York for a forced abortion. A rope, duct tape, scissors, and a .22-caliber rifle were found in their car. A loaded magazine clip was also found on Nicholas Kampf, the 19 year-olds father. Salem Police Officer, Sean Marino, wrote in a court affidavit, “Her parents chased her out into the yard, grabbed and tied her hands and feet together. Katelyn states that her father then carried her to their car and they headed toward New Hampshire.”
As the Iraqi civilian death toll rolled over 40,000 from the war he started, President Bush used his veto power for the first time to veto a bill which would’ve federally funded embryonic stem cell research. And as the president who believes in a “culture of life” congratulated himself, the PM of Lebanon desperately pleaded him to ask for a ceasefire from Israel. Ironically, Bush said he vetoed the bill because, “It crosses a moral boundary that our decent society needs to respect.” To override the veto, the Senate needed to obtain a two-thirds majority vote, which it failed to do. Bush also said, “This bill would support the taking of innocent human life in the hope of finding medical benefits for others.” However, Bush fully supports the taking of innocent human life in the hope of finding financial benefits for himself.